Can I just start by saying what a ride it has been learning how to indie publish and then actually doing it! My debut novel, NEXUS GATE 4037: THE ANIMAL has been on the market for half a month now and the feeling of gratefulness and pride that comes from seeing a longtime dream made a reality just takes my breath away. AND I got a five-star review!

Still, there is more work to be done, but I am game.

Initially, my plan was to e-publish on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and Kobo, alas plans have changed just like the seasons…slowly but surely. I mean, I don’t know what part of the world you are living in, but here in the midwest, Summer proved to be rude and would not leave. It was like an awkward breakup.

The relationship was officially over the moment the scarves and pumpkin spice-EVERYTHING hit the shelves but Summer didn’t get it.

“This is one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while. It caught me from the first page and wouldn’t let me go. I had a hard time wanting to sleep instead of stay up all night and read it. It’s a tale of time travel, science fiction history, murder and love. I can’t wait to get the next one in the series.” -KINDLE READER REVIEW 5-STAR RATING

I mean the skies were definitely Autumn grey, the kind of grey that promises a chill is in the air. But no, not until only about five days ago did the temps drop below fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Grey skies, pumpkin spice, and eighty-plus degrees do not go well together. But I digress.

Rant. Over. By Felicia…er…Summer.

WHY NEXUS GATE WILL ONLY BE E-PUBLISHED ON NOOK AND KINDLE

After some prayer, research, soul-searching, and my computer crashing rather than accepting an update of the newest version of iTunes, I’ve decided to keep things simple as I continue to learn my way around the world of indie publication. Meaning NEXUS GATE WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FOR NOOK (Barnes & Noble) OR KINDLE (Amazon).

Hey, I know, there are resources that I could use that could make life easier for me such as Smashwords or Book Baby, but those are routes I just don’t feel inclined to take. I’ve heard great things about them, but at the end of the day, we all must remain true and honoring of the voice inside that guides. For me, that is the Holy Spirit and by going the route I am going, I have learned so much!

Another reason I’ve decided to stick with Nook and Kindle is that just by talking to people around me who have iPhones and access to iBooks, I have discovered that they still either purchase their reading materials through Nook or Kindle. If anyone reading this has actually purchased a book from Kobo or iBooks, let me know how you feel about the platforms.

So for those of you who have graciously awaited NEXUS GATE coming to Nook by Barnes & Noble, your wait will officially be over FRIDAY OCTOBER 26th!

WHEN IS THE PAPERBACK GOING TO BE AVAILABLE?

If digital books still aren’t your thing, no worries! NEXUS GATE will be out in paperback at the end of November 2018/early December. The holidays are just around the corner and I don’t just think, I know this book will make the perfect stocking-stuffer!

I am also looking into the world of audiobooks.

Pacing myself, my goal is to have the audio version available in September 2019, right around the time Book Two, THE MYSTERY, drops.

WHAT WILL YOU BE ABLE TO READ UNTIL THEN?

I know we are a long way off from September 2019, but February 2019 is only a winter’s breath away! And I have to say, writing this just makes me so very excited.

For those of you who voted in the Battle of the Books and may have chosen my novel, WARDEN to have been my debut novel, worry not! WARDEN is on the way!

WARDEN COMING WINTER 2019

Book Flap: Ever since the bizarre death of her grandmother, Maeve Grandie has made it her sole purpose to be reliable, even if that means living a dreadfully predictable life. The only sense of adventure Maeve experiences is in her dreams. The only problem is her peculiar hereditary condition that gives her rashes on her hands and arms, turning the veins of her arms a screaming azurite blue, not only gives her weird dreams but causes her to sleepwalk as well.

But what would happen if those dreams that carry her into a bizarre land where people can cause their arms to ignite with blue flames and tear open the sky with their bare hands is not really a dream at all?

What if the dream world, Maeve finds herself suddenly trapped in, is actually a true world of wonder but one she is somehow destroying just by being there?

Senior Warden Vincent Jasper of Trident finds himself facing that very real and immeasurable danger when a young woman in the ugly pink nightgown interferes with an arrest right before disappearing through an Unzoned Door in the Universe causing the very threads of the Cluster and Realms to ripple and stretch, putting it and the lives of all who live within it in grave danger. Not only is the woman unknown but she keeps opening Doors and is somehow hiding right underneath his nose.

Can Jasper and his team along with the rest of Trident, apprehend this villainous threat clad in garish pink flannel and ruffles? Or will they find out that she is not the threat at all but the weapon of someone else, all before their side of the universe collapses?

If you don’t have a Kindle for Amazon, no worries, you can download the app and still read the book on any e-device. NEXUS GATE will also be released on iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble on October the 26th 2018, with a paperback edition dropping before the end of November/Early December 2018.

Wondering if it will be available on audiobook, well, that is the plan. I will keep you posted on the details regarding that.

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What was she thinking? She felt the fool, standing outside in the rain, her legs tethered to the ground by the invisible rope called ‘indecision.’ She had heard about others coming here, she fancied it foolishness, hence why she was beginning to believe herself the fool.

The garishly loud jingle of the brass bells hanging from the storefront door clanged, pulling her out of her thoughts. A middle-aged woman, clutching her purchase to her chest with greedy hands, locked eyes with her before shame snatched them away and she scurried off into the shadows of the night, the heady fragrance of candle wax dragging in her wake.

Lucinda shook her head. Her kind was so odd when it came to these kinds of things, these kinds of purchases. It was mostly because of their own mental assimilation to being on Earth, passing for native Earthlings.

Lucinda’s kind looked no different than the true Earthlings, though they were decedents, they were different. Who else would open a store with a glaring sign saying “Free Smells?”

The message was misleading in its nature. The scents weren’t free of cost, not by a long shot, and once those “scents” were set free, there was a lot of responsibility to be managed.

Again Lucinda hesitated, her fingers drawing away from the door handle as if it had burned her. She forced herself to take hold of it and step in. She needed help and fast. She needed to free a scent, a particular scent at that.

* * *

If it were at all possible, Lucinda felt even more stupid after explaining her need to the Nose. He stared at her curiously, stroking his naked chin as if it were heavily bearded.

Leaning forward, one of his eyes narrowing, he said, “You are not the usual customer. I mean, if we were home your request would not be so unusual.”

The tension in Lucinda’s shoulders fled. The Nose clucked his tongue. “Alas, we are not home and so this is unusual.”

“Does that mean you don’t have such a candle?” Defeat was scrapping its claws down her belly with the worst of cramping.

The Nose held her gaze. “My dear, we are on Earth now, have been for centuries,”

“I understand that,” She pressed her eyes closed as not to lose her patience.

“Then you know the saying, “When in Rome, do like the Romans.” Forget about…that.” He wagged his finger at her with disgust as if the “that” she had confessed to him was the vilest thing he had heard of. Such sad assimilation.

Lucinda wished she had it that easy. But wishing was as useless as believing that some magic could solve her problem. An Earthling might have believed the candles were the works of magic. This, the store, in Lucinda’s mind, was far more reproachable, but she was desperate.

The Senthians had lost, this, the candles was their end. Claiming one was Lucinda’s right, or more so her rebellion. The Senthians weren’t meant to be freed…but then they were no longer home. The rules did not apply. She chewed her lip, more indecision.

“Maybe I should forget about this,” she said.

“Exactly! None of us can go backward. But the smells are still available. I have some very nice woodsy tones, nodes of pine with touches of sweetness. What woman doesn’t enjoy a sweet scent.”

He winked. “I could even mix you the perfect blend if you’d like. You tell me what you want down to the smallest detail and it’s done. I can whip you up the perfect companion, tall, handsome, sensitive, dotting, boyfriend or husband. A master in the kitchen!”

Lucinda was feeling sick. She shook her head and made to rise.

He smacked the table top. “Just can’t get that issue off your brain, can you?! What you want is a Prophet! No one asks for those!”

“So you don’t have one, or can’t mix one, because clearly, that is what I am looking for. I don’t need,” She swallowed her words rather than lie. She would love a nice male companion mixed up just the way she liked, but the thought didn’t sit well with her, playing God that way.

Senthians were once an elegant race. Now they were nothing but candles whipped up at the whims of lonely women and men.

The Nose finally heeled and stood. “I don’t need to mix one. They couldn’t be rendered. Prophets are very specific in their structure.” He disappeared into the back of his shop and returned with a round jar, cocooned in a centuries-old skin of dust.

He dropped the jarred Prophet on the table and spit out a hefty price, one that made Lucinda wish to faint. She paid it anyhow and with hands just as greedy as the woman she had met outside the store, she clutched the candle to her chest.

“I hope you like forevers, because that’s what he will be once you release his scent; a forever responsibility for you and you alone.” The Nose warned. “Prophets are not like their Senthian brothers. They can’t be re-rendered. There are no returns for obvious reasons.”

Lucinda swallowed down the knot in her throat, the jarred Prophet suddenly feeling warm and heavy in her hands. “I-I understand.” She said, and with haste ran from the store.

THE END FOR NOW.

A NOTE TO READERS: A few years ago, a friend and I were window shopping. We stopped at a store that had some of the most lovely, heady, masculine scented candles I had ever smelled. They weren’t overpowering at all, as some of the candles can be. My friend and I laughed and said, “Wouldn’t that be something if you could just buy a candle that was made of the perfect man, burn it and there he was? Could you imagine women shopping for men like they did candles?” We laughed then and I am laughing now, but that is not Lucinda’s reason for a candle…obviously. I hope you enjoyed the start of her tale.

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“Handle them with care.” Illa finished the rebuke as it slid like honey from her mentor’s lips.

Vero gently pinched the young girl’s cheeks and winked at her. “If you know this, Illa than why must I always remind you?” She sighed, her query more rhetorical than anything. She sighed because she knew Illa would answer her anyway.

Illa’s head rolled on her shoulder’s. Her expression laden with exaggerated dissatisfaction. “I don’t want to do this,” she said. “I am not meant to be a weaver.”

Vero did not respond. Instead, she kept her back to Illa and continued pulling the threads of her own work. Illa spoke on. “I should be out there, doing something else, something more meaningful. This is useless.” She plucked one of the threads with her finger. The taught line made a twanging sound that caused Vero’s shoulders to kiss her ears.

As if gliding on air, Vero was back at Illa’s side, her hands spread as if trying to calm the workings of Illa’s weaving. When the resonating finally died down completely, she took Illa’s hands in hers and squeezed with a terrible force. Her obsidian eyes suddenly seemed darker than usual.

“Never do that again! Am I understood?” Illa nodded, her mouth agape. She had never seen Vero so wroth.

Vero turned her loose and sighed again, this time from absolute exhaustion. Illa had been her apprentice for months now and still, she failed to understand. Fate was not a web easily woven. Paths of life were dictated long before birth, and Illa toyed with them as if they were nothing more than threads from a seamstress’ spool.

No, what they were weaving was far more important than perishable silks. Illa was called to weave threads of life, she was the only one chosen in her generation. Why didn’t she understand how important it was, how important she was. If she got one thread wrong if she muddled the pattern even a little…

Vero’s head began to pound. Her eyes danced around her weaver’s room, gently skirting around the crystalline threads of lives she had woven. She had taken such great care with each and when she was finished the breath and essence of each web was blown upon the child who would live out that path with words of blessing and purpose. The sureness of her fingers meant fortune or misfortune for each person who received from her calling.

Illa was to take her place but Illa did not understand.

“I am sorry,” Illa’s voice, shaken and low, pulled Vero from the depths of her thoughts.

Vero made herself to look upon the young girl with tenderness in her eyes. She couldn’t allow her to see neither anger or fear. Both would derail what little balance for the task that Illa possessed. She said, “Be sorry not for me. My fate has already been blessed upon me and here I stand. But you, be sorry for those whose fates rest in your hands if you dare to toy with them as if they are guitar strings and not matters of life and death.” Vero turned away from her and sat down at her loom again.

Illa turned back toward the web. Her brow had drawn together and it was as if Vero could sense it for when Illa went to strum the threads again as if they were chords, Vero’s voice rang about her once more. “And lest I forget to tell you, the very web you toy with today is your very own. It is with that that you shall be blessed.”

Illa stayed back her hand for only a moment before responding. “You have said this before as well, Vero, and none of the webs have been mine before. They have all gone to chattel, dogs and the like.” Her tone was almost petulant.

Vero continued to weave. “We never know which web is actually ours, Illa, until the time for blessing comes. For that reason, you must respect each web and treat it as if it were your very own, for the tangles you weave today may very well be the snares that catch you tomorrow.”

She said nothing more. Illa stared at her once again before turning around and this time touching the threads with the care she needed to.

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It’s been a long while since I’ve sat down and given you all updates on plans and plottings, happening here in the Novel World of the Genre Jumper. So let’s not delay any further.

First, Debut Novel Business

NEXUS GATE 4037: THE ANIMAL will be available for purchase in SEPTEMBER 2018. I am still in the process of polishing and formatting as well as learning the ins and outs of KDP and other ePublishing platforms. My plan is to have this work of fiction available for download on KINDLE, iBooks, KOBO, B&N, as well as PLAYBOOKS by Google.

I feel confident in saying that once I have gotten past this mountain of first-time-publication, my bookshelf will begin to fill up quickly and hopefully yours as well. This is my prayer and this is my hope.

Beginning on Thursday, July19th, I will start sharing short stories and other works of fiction that I have called, My Favorite Writes. You will be able to see and read these pieces by simply clicking on the link in my menu.

MFWs are exactly what they are called, written bodies of work, ranging from several different genres that I delight to share with you all. Not only is it a way for us to stay creatively connected while I work on publishing longer tomes, but it is a great way for you, the reader, to ease into my writing style and taste the way I serve each genre.

Staying Connected

The best way not to miss a moment in my writing adventure is by staying connected. Following my author site is as easy as clicking “FOLLOW”…seriously, that is all it takes. Just click that big ole button in the side panel to your right and Bob’s your uncle! Once you do that, you will receive an email alert each time I share updates here.

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We have rolled, some of us through the snow, out of the 2017 year, into the glory of 2018! Having made it through, I think we should all do a happy dance!

Publication of my debut novel, Nexus Gate 4037: The Animal, is glowing on the horizon, and for that, I am truly grateful. For that, I get up every day and chomp through page after page of necessary edits with the hope of reaching my deadline.

I have made much progress since last we had our chat, however, there is still much work to do. At least 14,000 words need to be sweetly kissed goodbye, as well as, a new cover image potentially needing to be created. (If you are digging the current image, let me know. I may even consider doing a voting poll between covers. Anything could happen.)

With that being said, I am pushing back my publication date.

Now, don’t boo me yet. As I’ve said before, this is my first go at the self-publication-rodeo and with that being the case, my process is not as smooth-going as veterans at this venture, but I am learning, and I am pressing forward.

A late Spring publication date is ideal. Summer, is probably more practical. Either way, continue to cheer me on and pray my success! It is very much appreciated.

In other news, my creativity has been flowing like crazy and four new storylines for Science Fantasy Fiction have been born. I will give you the goods on those in the future.

Until later, friends!

~Candice

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” ~ William Edward Hickson

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Today NaNoWriMo begins and millions (I am hoping for millions) of writers are embarking on a 30-day journey to give life to a new novel or to continue with one that they’ve been laboring with for months.

Now, if you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, it is National Novel Writing Month, which begins on November 1st until the 30th of every year, encouraging writers around the world to write 50k words in 30 days!

The commitment is a noble and grand one, one that I encourage you to take part in, if not this November then maybe the next 30-day month that comes along.

I will be happily continuing with working on my WIP, DISIUS 9. If you don’t already know, Disius 9 is my attempt at writing a novel in 365 days, born from a creative writing prompt I created earlier this year, with a list of 365 words, and suggested daily word count, to help other writers along.

As it stands, this lady is months behind on her writing progress with this piece. I confess that I took a lot of time working on NEXUS GATE 4037 as well as creating my first FREE ONLINE COURSE for creatives during the months that Disius 9 sat idle. Those things grouped together with capturing newer story ideas before they escaped my imagination and I find myself still in the word list for June…don’t judge me…love me.

With that being the case, I have decided to dedicate this month of NaNoWriMo to playing creative catchup with Disius 9. If you haven’t read any of this WIP you can do so by following this LINK.

In other news, Nexus Gate 4037 is right on schedule with things and should be ready for publication come Winter 2018. Teaser chapters will be available this month just to wet your reading appetites.

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It brings me great pleasure to announce to you all that NEXUS GATE 4037: THE ANIMAL is the winner of the Battle of the Books!

I’d like to take this moment to thank each and every person who took the time to read and vote. I’d also like to give special thanks to my blogging and writing community, those who hosted The Battle of the Books Blogging tour and those who cheered me on.

This was an amazing experience.

Now that the winner has been announced, the journey toward publication begins with a greater zeal.

Although this story, as well as its competitor, have been revised several times, there is still quite a bit of work left to do before this story hits the shelves.

WHAT LIES AHEAD:

A final draft

A final round of editing

Cover art consideration

Publication!!!

My goal is to have the finished copy on the eBook shelves by Fall 2017!

For those of you who were rooting for Warden, no worries. Warden will see its publication day. I will keep you posted on that.

If you didn’t get the chance to read the teaser chapters you can do so by following THIS LINK!

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Woohoo! Although I am still two days behind on my words-for-the-day withDisius 9, the story is growing splendidly. I have to say that this writing prompt and adventure is nothing like any that I have done before. The feeling and creative growth that I am experiencing have much to do with this.

These characters, this random daily word prompting is really amazing to me. If you are a writer you are familiar with how your story tells you where to go as you give it life. It shows you the ebbs and flows and yet leaves you the wide reach of freedom to dress and undress the story as you like.

For me, with this story, I fell less like it’s telling me how to write it and more like it’s showing me. Unlike other stories that I have written, I am writing Disius 9 out of what I am witnessing through my imagination and less out of what I am hearing and instinctively building.

Like any bystander or witness, I am making assumptions about the characters and plot only to find out a few moments later how off in my assumption I have been. The movie continues to play and the scenes make this clear. As this happens, I respond accordingly.

Unlike with my other stories, this one has yet to reveal who are what the villain is although there are many hints to the vileness and trouble that awaits with each scene that unfolds. I as the writer, feel much like the reader, only finding out more with each daily word I spin from.

These characters, Denim Rays, Besting Card, Congressman Meekus Claudius, and of course, Charis Joba, have a unique depth and richness that they are sharing with me, which is unlike stories I’ve borne out of the influence of my dreams.

With the stories I have jotted down from my dreams or from the stream of my raw imagination, I have had the authority, for the most part, to mold, build, and dress them as I saw fit. Without being a cast of divas or devos they politely, gently, reveal themselves and teach me how to write them. For instance, I have learned that Lexem Hold, is not as shallow as she seems at first.

All in all, writing this random-word novel in 365-days is a pretty fantastic experience!

As it stands, I have had to quadruple some days, writing an average of 273 words per random word, which at this pace would give me a 100k tome novel. Since on some days I use multiple words, there has been the occasional mix up where I use one word before the other. But for the most part, I have stuck to the path and been consistent with using each word within their proper order.

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The Founder and Voice of "I came for the soup..." Candice Coates is a Fiction and Non-Fiction Writer, jumping from genres ranging from Speculative Science Fiction and Fantasy to Comedic Clean Read Romance and Suspense, all with touches of her Christian faith. She is a lover of Ireland, languages, tea, and just about anything with pistachios. When not writing she is creating visual art, or new designs for her handmade polymer clay jewelry line, Shizen Brook.